1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an output apparatus for outputting by using a character pattern of a bit map form and a character pattern of other form.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, there has been known an output apparatus for outputting a relevant character pattern which has previously been recorded in a medium such as a ROM or the like in a bit map form in accordance with a command which was received by a host computer or the like. (Hereinafter, such a style is called a "bit map system".)
Or, there has also been known an output apparatus in which a relevant character pattern is newly formed in a bit map form in the apparatus on the basis of design information (for instance, vector font data, stroke font data, etc.) of the character pattern and is output in accordance with a command which was received from a host computer or the like. (Hereinafter, such a style is called a "scaling system".)
Character pattern outputs according to the above two systems have the following advantages, respectively.
First, in the "bit map system" in which character patterns of the bit map form are previously prepared, by merely transferring the pattern which has already been formed to an output area, the character pattern is output. Thus, the processes are simple, the processing speed is also high, and it is sufficient to provide a small memory area.
On the other hand, in the case of the "scaling system" to newly form a character pattern from a bit map from the design information, since the design information itself is formed in a relative position information form, a change in size by setting a reducing/enlarging magnification and a modification of a pattern by setting the coordinate system can be easily executed from one pattern information and it is sufficient that an amount of data itself of the pattern which is prepared is also smaller than the bit map.
In the above two different functions, the former "bit map system" is simpler and can be more easily used. Therefore, the "bit map system" has already been put into practical use from the initial stage of the development of the output apparatus. In recent years, the latter "scaling system" has been tried.
However, the above two systems also have the following drawbacks, respectively.
First, in the "bit map system", since all of the character patterns which are preliminarily used must be prepared, in the case of outputting character patterns of different sizes and designs, a large amount of character pattern designs of the bit map as many as only the number of kinds of character patterns which are used need to be prepared in a memory such as a ROM or the like. For instance, even in the case of the character patterns of the same design, if their sizes differ by merely one level, the bit map patterns corresponding to those character patterns must be prepared as different character patterns in the memory.
If the character pattern of the relevant size does not exist, an accurate output as the user desires cannot be derived.
On the other hand, a large character pattern needs a memory area as large as the large character pattern. Ordinarily, for the character patterns, since a set of a plurality of character patterns such as alphabetic characters, numerals, or the like are handled as a unit, as the character pattern increases, a necessary memory capacity of the whole memory increases.
From the above reasons, in the "bit map system", there is inherently a limitation in the number of kinds of character patterns which can be used by a single apparatus.
In the case of the "scaling system", upon outputting, a character pattern of a bit map is newly formed and its arranging process inevitably becomes complicated. It takes a long time to arrange the character pattern and efficiency deteriorates.
When actually outputting, in general, the character pattern is only then converted into a bit map form and output. Therefore, a large memory area is needed although it is temporarily used. As mentioned above, as compared with the method whereby the character patterns are prepared in a bit map form from the beginning, a complicated and large construction of the apparatus is needed and the processing speed is also slow.
The output apparatus using the above two systems has been put into practical use in recent years. The formation of the character pattern by the "scaling system" is provided in addition to the "bit map system" which has also been put into practical use.
The above two systems have the advantages and disadvantages as mentioned above and the "scaling system" as a new technique is not always excellent.
For instance, there is considered a case where the size of memory area which can be used is so small that the character pattern cannot be preferably output by the "scaling system". FIG. 4 shows an example in the case where the character patterns were generated by the "scaling system". In the diagram, reference numeral 41 denotes the result of the output in the case where character patterns were generated by variably changing the size. At this time, if the memory area lacks, as shown by reference numeral 42 in the diagram, a state in which it is impossible to form character patterns entered and no character pattern can then be output.
In such a case, character patterns can normally be output by using the "bit map system".
On the other hand, although the "scaling system" is effective in the case where a character pattern of a size or a design which does not certainly exist is formed and used, if the character pattern which is used already exists in a bit map form, the use of the "bit map system" is obviously effective from viewpoints of speed, use efficiency of the memory, and the like. It is not always necessary to use the "scaling system".
Or, in the case where the output apparatus at the initial stage is mainly designed in the "bit map system" as mentioned above and the application software formed on the basis of the "bit map system" which have already been accumulated at that era are used, there is a possibility that the output result differs from that which has been output so far because of the difference in compatibility with the new system.
Further, in the case of the output for what is called an output confirmation such that a high outputting speed is required rather than the accuracy of the formation of the character patterns, the "bit map system" is more effective than the process based on the "scaling system" in which the processing speed is slow although the output accuracy is higher.
However, in such a conventional output apparatus, significance is paid to the "scaling system" as a new technique and such an output apparatus is not designed by sufficiently considering the effective use of the advantages and disadvantages of both of the "bit map system" and the "scaling system". Due to an idea to execute the processes by always using the "scaling system", the users of the output apparatuses must execute the memory expansion, which is unnecessary in the conventional output form, and must use the vain processing time and must correct or abandon the data or application softwares which have been accumulated so far.
As mentioned above, the conventional output apparatus does not have means for properly and selectively using either the "bit map system" or the "scaling system" as necessary. Therefore, the advantages of those two systems cannot be sufficiently used by the selective use. There is a problem such that a burden on the user increases.